After lung cancer surgery, pope to head home to Latin America on longest, farthest trip of his pontificate

A demanding regional tour

Leo’s three-country journey begins Friday in Uruguay. At 71, he is scheduled to visit Cusco, Peru, at an altitude of 3,400 meters (11,200 feet). The Vatican said his travel arrangements will not include special or additional medical provisions.

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni described the pope’s condition as something he would recover from after surgery, rather than a permanent condition. The tour follows his lung cancer surgery three weeks earlier.

Crowds are expected at stops across the region. Likely themes include economic injustice, the situation of Indigenous communities, the Amazon and the Catholic Church’s history of clergy sexual abuse.

A return to Peru

The U.S.-born pope lived in Peru for two decades as a missionary priest and holds Peruvian citizenship. He has described the country as a place where he learned about the people’s faith and what it means to be a shepherd.

The final stage of the trip is expected to draw particular attention, with visits to Lima and Chiclayo. Leo led the Chiclayo diocese from 2015 to 2023, before Francis called him to Rome.

Vatican communications chief Maria Montserrat Alvarado said Leo personally confirmed the itinerary without changes. She said Peru shaped his ministry and helped form his pastoral outlook.

Stops with distinct histories

Uruguay, the tour’s first stop, is described as Latin America’s most secular country. Christmas is officially called “Family Day” there, while Holy Week is known as “Tourism Week.” The country has also legalized recreational marijuana, decriminalized abortion and legalized same-sex marriage. Andrew Chesnut, a Catholic studies scholar at Virginia Commonwealth University, compared its secular character to that of Western Europe.

Leo is expected to explain the Church’s positions on abortion and euthanasia. He is also likely to recognize Uruguay’s Catholic roots during a feast day linked to the country’s 1825 declaration of independence.

Argentina and the papal legacy

The itinerary includes Argentina, where the pope is expected to address concerns connected to artificial intelligence. Fordham University theology professor Leo Guardado said Javier Milei’s efforts to attract AI investment and data centres could be discussed, given Leo’s concern about AI’s effects on people and the environment.

The visit also marks a contrast with Francis, who never returned to Argentina during his 13-year pontificate despite trips to the region. Argentine theologian María Marcela Mazzini linked his absence to the country’s political polarization.

Carriquiry said Leo’s visit would fill a longstanding gap. The article also noted that Francis chose not to visit some European countries, including Spain and France, during his papacy.